Automatic time release device



Feb. 25, 1936. w. H. STILLING AUTOMATIC TIME RELEASE DEVICE Filed March9, 1935 EEEE' Patented Feb. 25, 1936 UNITED STATES AUTOMATIC TIMERELEASE DEVICE William Henry stilling, London, England, as-

signor to Isaac Braithwalte a Son Engineers Limited, Kendal, EnglandApplication March 9, 1935, Serial-No. 10,259 In Great Britain March 23,1934 7Claims.

This invention relates to-a device for locking a mechanism in anoperative position and releasing it therefrom only at the end of apredetermined period of time.

Primarily the device is designed to release a clothes or garmentpressing machine in a definite predetermined period of time afterlooking, but it may be" applied to other mechanism where a similar dutyis required.

The device according to the invention comprises an outer casing, amember or piston sliding therein, a plunger, acting in a chamber at oneend of the piston and controlled by a spring therein, a stationarypiston carried by the outer casing and situated in a second chamber atthe other end of the piston whereby the sliding piston can slide overthe stationary piston, an aperture in the stationary piston theeffective size of which can be varied, to permit the escape of fluidfrom one side of the stationary piston to the other, a pivoted leveroperated by the starting or operating device of the mechanism which onactuation of the latter to move the plunger against its controllingspring and thereby exert pressure on the sliding piston'moves it slowlyin a direction to expel the fluid from one side of the stationary pistonto the other, the speed of movement depending on the effective size ofthe aperture through the stationary piston and a pivoted 30 catch whichwhen the starting or operating device of the mechanism has been movedwill engage the pivoted lever actuated thereby and lock it in theoperative position until the catch is released by the sliding pistonreaching the end of its travel.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanyingdrawing in which:-

Fig. 1 is a vertical section showing in full lines the position of thevarious parts of the device in their normal or unlocking position beforeit is operated to lock the mechanism and in dotted lines the position ofsuch parts are moved by the mechanism when the latter is operatedwhereby the mechanism is locked in its operative position.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section showing the position of the various partsat the end of the predetermined locking period and immediately beforethey return to their original position to unlock the mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on an enlarged scale of the part of thedevice controlling the unlocking mechanism at the end of thepredetermined period of time.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the device applied to theoperating treadle of a garment or similar pressing machine.

The device comprises a hollow outer casing A open at the lower end andclosed at the upper end by a cap or cover A screwed into the casing.

The outer casing A is formed with a cylindrical portion a in which thecylindrical member or piston B can slide. The cylindrical member orpiston 13 is formed with an upper hollow chamber B and a lower hollowchamber B separated by 5 a wall D so that there is no communicationbetween thetwo chambers. A rod or plunger 0 is adapted to slide in thelower chamber B under the influence of a coil spring D normally tendingto push the plunger C out of the piston B.

The lower end of the plunger C is engaged by one end of a pivoted leverE the other end of which is enlarged and formed with a recess e adaptedto be engaged by a pin or projection G on a part of the setting on oroperating mechanlsm of the machinery to be controlled.

In the case of a treadle operated pressing machine as shown in Fig. 4the pin or projection G is mounted on the operating treadle g wherebywhen the latter is depressed the pin G will enter the recess e in theend of the lever E and cause the latter to move about its pivot e Forother machinery the pin G is carried by or suitably connected to thelever, treadle or other device controlling the starting of the machine.A stop 25 F maybe provided to limit the upward movement of the end ofthe lever E engaging the plunger C.

A stationary piston H carried on a rod depending from the cover A isarranged in the upper chamber B of the sliding member or piston B sothat any movement of the member or pistonB will cause it to slide overthe fixed piston H.

The chamber B is filled with oil and the stationary piston is formedwith an aperture h which will permit oil to pass from the lower side ofthe piston up the central passage 71. and through the lateral passages hto the upper side of the piston. A sleeve 11. extends downward from thecover A to form an annular chamber closed at the top and open at thebottom through which oil passes from the passages h and which preventssplashing of the oil in the chamber B The piston H is also formed with anumber of vertical passages h. covered by a flap valve 11. through whichthe oil will return from the upper side of the piston to the lower sidethereof.

The size of the aperture h is controlled by a needle valve 9' carried onthe end of a screwed rod J passing through the cap A and controlled by aknob 7' outside the cap. The valve 7' can thus be adjusted to vary theeffective size of the aperture h and so adjust the time the oil willtake to pass from the lower side of the piston H to the upper sidethereof. The adjusting knob 7 is preferably covered by a cap J screwedonto the cap A The sliding member or piston B is formed with a conicalor inclined surface b preferably in the neighborhood of the divisionbetween the upper c0 when the lever E is moved by the starting device ofthe mechanism from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1 tothe'position shown in dotted lines the end k of the pivoted catch lever1K will be engaged under the head of the bolt e and the lever E andconsequently the starting mechanism will be locked until the catch K isreleased by the time operation of the device.

The operation of the device is as Iollowsz- When the treadle a or otherstarting device is operated the pin or stud G engages in the recess e inthe pivoted lever'E and causes the latter to oscillate about its pivot efrom the position shown infull lines in Fig. 1 to that shown in dottedlines; This movement of the lever E raises the plunger C in the chamberB which movement compresses the spring D acting between the top of theplunger 0 and the-transverse wall b separating the chambers B and B: Thecompression of fthe spring D, since the lower end of the' plunger C'isheldby the end of the lever E tends to move the member B upwards butsuch upward movement is restrained by the oil in the chamber B betweenthe under side of the stationary piston H and the bottom of the chamher.The oil in the lower part of the chamber B will however slowly escapethrough the aperture h, the central passages h and the lateral passagesk to the upper side of. the piston H, the speed of escape ofthe oilbeing governed by the effective size of the aperture is controlled bythe needle valve-1y. The pressure or the oil below the piston will forcethe flap valve 12. against the under side of the piston thereby closingthe vertical passages m.

The displacement of the oil from the underside to the top of the pistonIf allows the piston B to rise slowly until" the latter reachesthe endoi! its stroke i. e. the position shown in Fig. 2.. The

upward movement of the piston H causes the inclined portion 12 on itsouter surface to move the catch lever K about its pivot so that when thepiston'H- has reached the end of its travel the upper end 7c of thecatch lever K will have been moved into such a positionthat its lower,end k wili be out of'engagement with the head of the bolt e on thelever E and the latter will be released:

Immediately the catch lever K is released irom the bolt e the pressureof the spring D on the plunger C will rock the lever E to release thepin or stud G and thelever E will return to its originel position, i. e.the position shown in 11.13 lines in Fig. l. The releasing of the leverE moving the pin or stud G upwards thereby unlocking the treadle g orother starting device of the mechanism.

After the catch lever K has been operated to release the lever E and thepressure onthe under side of theplunger C has been removed, the piston Bwill fall gradually by its own weight overcoming any resistance of thespring D should the pllmger C remain in contact with the lever E duringthe downward movement of the piston B and as the pressure on the underside of the flap valve h is removed the oil will pass back through thevertical passages n in the piston H to the under side oi the latter. Asthe piston B moves downwards the upper end 7c 01' the catch lever K willmove back into engagement with the fective size of the aperture h in thestationary valve I-I, this period can be varied within wide limitsbyithe adjustment of the needle valve 1' through the control knob i onthe upper end of the rod J A concealed method of ieleasing the mechanismat any time in case of necessity may be provided; This consisting informing a screw driven slot 10 on the end of the pin it ori which thecatch'lever K is mounted so that by inserting a screw driverin the slotk and turning it to the left whilst at the same time applying pressiireto the treadle g or other starting rneohanism, the lever K will be movedto" release its upper end from the inclined or conical surface 12 of thepiston B. It is evident that knowledge of such method of release shouldjonly be known by a responsible person and not known by the ordinaryoperator ofthe machine.

A timerelease device as hereinpefore described has many uses but isparticularly applicable for as the main treadle is held in the jaw endedle-i ver until the mechanism automatically trips.

What 1 claim as my invention and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for locking the control mechanis "of a machine in anoperative position and releasing it therefrom only at the end of apredeterinined period of time comprising an'outer casing, piston slidingtherein, a chamber at one end of the piston, a spring controlled plungerwithin the ,jchamber, a fluid containing second chamber at the other endof the piston, a stationary apertured piston carried by the outer casingand situated within said second chamber whereby the,

sliding piston can'slide over the stationary piston, means to vary thesize of the aperture in the stationary piston so that the fluid mayescape from one side thereof to the other at a variable rate of speed, apivoted lever operated by the control mechanism to move the springcontrolled plunger and exert pressure on the sliding piston to expelfluid from one side of the apertured piston to the other, a pivotedcatch mounted on the outer casing which when the control mechanism hasbeen moved will engage the said pivoted lever and lock the mechanism inthe operative position and means for releasing the pivoted catch whenthe sliding piston reaches the end of its travel.

2. A device for locking the control mechanism of a machine in anoperative position and releasing it therefrom only at the end of apredetermined period of time comprising an outer casing a piston slidingtherein, a chamber at one end of the piston, a spring controlled plungerwithin the chamber, a fluid containing second chamber at the other endof the piston, a stationary apertured piston carried by the outer casingand situated within said second chamber whereby the sliding piston canslide over the stationary piston, a needle valve to vary the size of theaperture in the stationary piston so that the fluid may escape from oneside thereof to the other at a variable rate of speed, a pivoted leveroperated by the control mechanism to move the spring controlled plungerand exert pressure on the sliding piston to expel fluid from one side ofthe apertured piston to the other, a pivoted catch mounted on the outercasing which when the control mechanism has been moved will engage thesaid pivoted lever and lock the mechanism in the operative position andmeans for releasing the pivoted catch when the sliding piston reachesthe end of its travel.

3. A device for locking the control mechanism of a machine in anoperative position and releasing it therefrom only at the end of apredetermined period of time comprising an outer casing,

a piston sliding therein, a chamber at one end of the piston, a springcontrolled plunger within the chamber, a fluid containing second chamberat the other end of the piston, a stationary apertured piston carried bythe outer casing and situated within said second chamber whereby thesliding piston can slide over the stationary piston, a needle valve tovary the size of the aperture in the stationary piston so that the fluidmay escape from one side thereof to the other at a variable rate ofspeed, a pivoted lever operated by the control mechanism to move thespring controlled plunger and exert pressure on the sliding piston toexpel fluid from one side of the apertured piston to the other, apivoted catch mounted on the outer casing which when the controlmechanism has been moved will engage the said pivoted lever and lock themechanism in the operative position and an inclined surface on theperiphery of the sliding piston engaged by one end of the pivoted catchwhereby the other end is moved out of engagement with the pivoted leverwhen the sliding piston reaches the end of its travel.

4. A device for locking the control mechanism of a machine in anoperative position and releasing it therefrom only at the end of apredetermined period of time comprising an outer casing, a pistonsliding therein, a chamber at one end of the piston,- a springcontrolled plunger within the chamber, a fluid containing second chambera at the other end of the piston, a stationary apertured piston carriedby the outer casing and situated within said second chamber whereby thesliding piston can slide over the stationary piston, a needle valve tovary the size of the aperture in the stationary piston so that the fluidmay escape from one side thereof to the other at a variable rate ofspeed, passages in the stationary piston to allow fluid to return whenthe pressure on the spring controlled plunger is released, a flap valvecontrolling said passages, a pivoted lever operated by the controlmechanism to move the spring controlled plunger and exert pressure onthe sliding piston to expel fluid from one side oi. the apertured pistonto the other, a pivoted catch mounted on the outer casing which when thecontrol mechanism has been moved will engage the said pivoted lever andlock the mechanism in the operative position and an inclined surface onthe periphery of the sliding piston engaged by one end of the pivotedcatch whereby the other end is moved out of engagement with the pivotedlever when the sliding piston reaches the end of its travel.

5. A device for locking the control mechanism of a machine in anoperative position and releasing it therefrom only at the end of apredetermined period of time, comprising an outer casing, a pistonsliding therein, a chamber at one end of the piston, a. springcontrolled plunger within the chamber, a fluid containing second chamberat the other end of the piston, a stationary apertured piston carried bythe outer casing and situated within said second chamber whereby thesliding piston can slide over the stationary piston, a needle valve, 9.screwed spindle passing through the outer casing carrying the needlevalve to vary the size of the aperture in the stationary piston so thatthe fluid may escape from one side thereof to the other at a variablerate of speed, passages in the stationary piston to allow fluid toreturn when the pressure on the spring controlled plunger is released, aflap valve controlling said passages a pivoted lever operated by thecontrol mechanism to move the spring controlled plunger and exertpressure on the sliding piston to expel fluid from one side of theapertured piston to the other, a pivoted catch mounted on the outercasing which when the control mechanism has been moved will engage thesaid pivoted lever and lock the mechanism in the operative position, andan inclined surface on the periphery of the sliding piston engaged byone end of the pivoted catch whereby the other end is moved out ofengagement with the pivoted lever when the sliding piston reaches theend of its travel.

6. A device for locking the control mechanism in an operative positionand releasing it therefrom only at the end of a predetermined period oftime comprising an outer casing, a piston sliding therein, a chamber atone end of the piston, a spring controlled plunger within the chamber, afluid containing second chamber at the other end of the piston, astationary apertured piston carried by the outer casing and situatedwithin said second chamber whereby the sliding piston can slide over thestationary piston, a needle valve to vary the size of the aperture inthe stationary piston so that the fluid may escape from one side thereofto the other at a variable rate of speed. a pivoted lever, a recess inone end thereoi, engaged by the control mechanism to cause the other endto move the spring controlled plunger and exert pressure on the slidingpiston to expel fluid from one side of the apertured piston to theother, a bolt head projecting from the pivoted lever, a pivoted catchmounted on the outer casing to engage behind the bolt head when thecontrol mechanism has been moved to lock the mechanism in the operativeposition and an inclined surface on the periphery of the sliding pistonengaged by one end of the pivoted catch whereby the other end is movedout of engagement with the pivoted lever when the sliding piston reachesthe end of its travel.

7. A device for locking the control mechanism of a machine in anoperative position and releasing it therefrom only at the end of apredetermined period of time as in claim 5 in which a cap is screwed onto the upper end of the outer casing to enclose the needle valve controlspindle.

WIILIAM HENRY S'I'ILLING.

